The present invention relates generally to the field of writing instruments and in particular to a new and useful stylus with a retractable pen adapted for storage in a side slot of many types of personal digital assistants.
Personal digital assistants (PDAs) or handheld computing devices are becoming more and more popular. Typically, these devices are too small to incorporate a keyboard, and so a non-marking stylus is required to enter data and make selections on a touch-sensitive screen of the devices. Examples of these devices include the M100 and M505 sold by Palm, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., JORNADA sold by Hewlett-Packard of Palo Alto, Calif. and CASSIOPEIA sold by Casio, among others.
PDAs and handheld computing devices commonly have a slot, or stylus port, in the side of the device adapted to hold a plain plastic stylus (sometimes referred to as a xe2x80x9cnailxe2x80x9d because of its appearance) These stylii are simple elongated rods having a stylus tip at one end and sized to be inserted and retrieved from the stylus port in the PDA casing side. The stylii provided with most PDAs sold at retail are simply non-marking stylii of the xe2x80x9cnailxe2x80x9d type.
PDAs have the limitation that most printers are not sized to be portable, and so data that is stored on a PDA can only be converted to a hard copy by either manually writing down the information displayed on the PDA screen, or connecting to a laptop or desktop computer with a printer and transferring data for printing. For the simple job of writing down a telephone number or short address, the latter option is very impractical. As a result, it is often necessary for PDA users to carry both pens and stylii in order to use the PDA without damaging the screen and still be able to create pen on paper notes.
Stylii combined with pens are generally known, such as the one taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,629, in which a stylus tip is provided on one side of the pen point for a retractable pen tip. The pen tip extends past the stylus tip when it is in a use position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,850 discloses a combined pen and stylus writing instrument having the pen tip at one end of the instrument and the stylus tip at the other.
Neither of these pens is disclosed as being particularly suited to be held in the side slot of a PDA.
Although many handheld computing devices have stylus ports for holding stylii, there are few mechanisms for keeping a stylus in place in the slot. Generally, stylii are simply held by a frictional fit between components. At least one known stylus, for example, has small hemispherical projections on the sides of the stylus body for mating with corresponding recesses inside a complimentary- stylus port. However, this feature can result in some difficulty experienced when removing the stylus from the handheld computing device or PDA. Alternatively, in some cases, it is possible that a stylus inserted into a PDA casing stylus port will fall out when the device is turned with the stylus port opening facing downward.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a combined stylus and pen for easy use and storage with handheld computing devices.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a stylus which can be removably held securely in a slot of a handheld computing device provided for receiving a stylus.
Accordingly, a combined pen and stylus writing instrument is provided having a retractable refillable pen tip extending from a pen point at one end of an elongated cylindrical housing and a non-marking stylus mounted on the other end of the housing. The stylus is mounted to the end of a pen activation cap at the end of the housing opposite the pen point.
A clip extends from one side of the pen activation cap below the stylus. A pair of detents are provided, one on each side of the clip, for engaging extensions from the edges of a stylus port on a PDA or handheld computing device. The outer surface of the clip has a series of grooves for making the stylus clip easier to grip and exert sufficient force on the stylus to remove it from a stylus port. A pair of ribs are located 180xc2x0 apart, arranged symmetric around the clip. The ribs help retain the stylus in the stylus port by increasing frictional fit.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with. particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.